Receptacle

ABSTRACT

A clip-type connector for joining a conductor to a generally square or rectangular cross-section terminal post. Resiliently spreadable connector walls grip the side surfaces of the post regardless of variations in its shape or dimensions. Orientation of the connector on a post is such that multiple connectors may be stacked on adjacent posts. A connector may be simply and expeditiously removed from anywhere in a stack of connectors on a post.

United States Patent Kukla et a].

[ 51 June 6, 1972 RECEPTACLE [72] Inventors: Frank A. Kukla, Cicero; Harold B. Kalmar, Des Plaines; John A. Petkunas, Westchester, all of I11.

[73] Assignee: Malco Manufacturing Company, Inc.,

Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: Feb. 24, 1970 [21] AppLNo; 13,328

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 638,385, May 15,

1967, abandoned.

[521 (LS. C1. ...339/258 R [51] Int. Cl ..H01r 11/22 [58] Field of Search ..339/97 R, 223, 256, 258, 276

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,266,530 12/1941 Andren ..339/258 X 3,128,143 4/1964 Sitzler... ..339/258 X 3,209,311 9/1965 Kukla 339/95 X 3,248,686 4/1966 Ruehlemann. ....339/223 X 3,270,251 8/1966 Evans ..339/l43 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS 1,087,366 4/1954 France ..339/258 R 533,787 9/1931 Germany... ....339/258 R 960,784 6/1964 Germany .....339/258 S 61,609 10/1939 Norway ..339/258 R Primary Examiner-Marvin A. Champion Assistant Examiner-Lawrence J. Staab Att0rneyHume, Clement, Hume & Lee

57 ABSTRACT A clip-type connector for joining a conductor to a generally square or rectangular cross-section terminal post. Resiliently spreadable connector walls grip the side surfaces of the post regardless of variations in its shape or dimensions. Orientation of the connector on a post is such that multiple connectors may be stacked on adjacent posts. A connector may be simply and expeditiously removed from anywhere in a stack of connectors on a post.

10 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures RECEPTACLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This application is a continuation-in-part of the copending application, Ser. No. 638,385, filed May 15, 1967, now abandoned.

The invention relates in general to electrical connectors. It deals particularly with connectors for joining wire leads or the like to electrical terminal posts.

It is now common practice in computer circuitry, for example, to employ terminal boards seating thousands of electrical terminals. These terminals provide means for connecting wire leads to wire leads, or wire leads to printed circuit board circuitry, for example. A well-known terminal construction used in such an environment is the so-called wire-wrap terminal.

Thousands of these wire-wrap terminals are seated in high density patterns in a terminal board. Wire leads are usually wrapped upon the wire-wrap tails or posts by well-known wire-wrapping techniques. These wire-wrap connections are necessarily more or less permanent. Frequently, however, it is desirable to make a less permanent connection to a wire-wrap post, or, in fact, several semi-permanent connections to such a post. The present invention is specifically concerned with making multiple removable electrical connections to a single wire-wrap post in a high density concentration of posts, while maintaining circuit integrity in each of the circuits involved.

The prior art has seen several approaches tothis multiple termination concept. The Sitzler U.S. Pat. No. 3,128,143, for example, discloses a well-known connector arrangement for making multiple conductor connections to a single terminal post. None of the prior art constructions, however, has been able to provide multiple connection capability in a high density terminal arrangement while retaining a wide range of connection versatility with consistent results. For example, removal of individual connectors in a stack of connectors is difficult if the connector in question is one of the lower connections in a stack. In addition, if a maximum number of multiple connections must be made to a plurality of immediately adjacent terminal posts, interference between the adjacent connectors and conductors frequently results.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved connector for joining a conductor or conductors to a terminal post.

It is another object to provide an improved connector especially adapted for multiple connector stacking on a terminal post, wherein the connectors are all adapted for simple and expeditious removal from the terminal post, regardless oftheir position in the stack.

It is still another object to provide an improved connector, the construction and arrangement of which on a terminal post facilitates multiple stacking of the connectors, on each of a group of immediately adjacent terminal posts, without interference between any of the connectors or attached conductors.

It is a further object to provide an improved connector of the aforedescribed character which assures a consistently uniform and tight grip of the connector on a terminal post regardless of variation in post cross-sectional configuration and dimensions.

It is yet a further object to provide an improved connector which is readily seated on and removed from a terminal post without damaging the contact surfaces or sharp comers of the post.

The foregoing and other objects are realized in accord with the present invention by providing a connector comprising a post receptacle section and a conductor attachment section wherein the post receptacle section includes relatively wide, opposed side walls fabricated of resilient material. The walls are resiliently joined at a longitudinally extending common edge and normally are resiliently biased into face-to-face relationship. The walls have longitudinally extending free edges displaced laterally of their common edge and are adapted to resiliently spread at the free edges away from the common edge. Longitudinally elongated retainer troughs in each of the walls generally adjacent the corresponding free edges retain a tenninal post between the walls in resiliently gripped relationship. The conductor attachment section is displaced longitudinally of the post receptacle section on the connector so that the walls of the latter are freely spreadable. The post receptacle section is, in turn, displaced laterally of the conductor attachment section.

In the preferred form of this invention, longitudinally extending contact areas in the troughs make electrical contact with corresponding side surfaces of a terminal post substantially along their entire length regardless of wide variations in the cross-sectional size and configuration of the post. The construction of the retainer trough in the connector causes the connectors to be disposed at such an angle to the post that a maximum number of connectors can be seated on each of the adjacent terminal posts on a terminal board, for example, without interference between the connectors or their as sociated conductors. The conductor attachment portion of the terminals has a special configuration also designed to avoid interference between connectors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention, together with its construction and method of operation, taken with further objects and advantages thereof, is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a terminal board, illustrating four wire-wrap terminals seated in closely spaced relationship in the terminal board, and a connector embodying features of a preferred form of the present invention seated on each of the wire-wrap posts of the terminals;

' FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a wire-wrap post illustrating three connectors embodying features of the preferred form of the present invention mounted on the post, with one connector in the process of being removed from the post;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a wire-wrap post illustrating two connectors embodying features of a modified form of the present invention mounted on a rectangular post;

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the upper connector illustrated in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, a portion of a terminal board assembly is shown generally at 10, in plan view. The terminal board assembly 10 includes a plurality of self-locking terminals seen generally at 11, mounted in suitably formed apertures in a terminal board 12. The board is preferably aluminum while the terminals include brass terminal pins 15a and nylon bushings 15b.

The self-locking terminals 11 are normally mounted in a densely crowded pattern on the terminal board 12 to afford maximum space utilization for computer circuitry or the like. It is conventional, for example, to mount thousands of the terminals 11 on a terminal board at 0.200 inch center-to-center spacing from adjacent terminals, throughout the board.

Referring to the terminals 11 themselves, each terminal pin 15a commonly includes a tail or post 16 to which wire connections are made by either conventional wire-wrap techniques or by clip-type connectors or the like. Each post 16 has a square cross-section; with dimensions preferably 0.45 inches on a side. In other words, each of the side surfaces 17 on a wirewrap post 16 is 0.45 inches in width. However, it should be recognized that commercial forming techniques do not consistently provide perfectly square and perfectly dimensional terminal posts and the present invention takes specific cognizance of this fact.

In their densely packed relationship on the terminal board 12, the terminals 11 are, according to this invention, quickly and easily joined to or separated from selected conductors by clip-type connectors 21 embodying features of a preferred form of the present invention. The connectors 21 construction is especially suited for multiple mounting or stacking on a wire-wrap post 16, in an extremely dense pattern of posts. The mounted attitude of the clip-type connectors 21, according to the invention, is such that a maximum number of the connectors can be mounted in a high density grouping of terminals 11 on a minimum of space on the board assembly 10. F urthermore, the connector 21 assures excellent electrical connection with a post 16 regardless of irregularities in shape or size of the post.

Referring now to all of the drawing figures, although particularly to FIG. 2, each connector 21 includes a post receptacle section 25 and a conductor attachment section 26 formed from a single strip of brass by generally conventional forming techniques. The post receptacle section 25 releasablygrips the terminal post 16 in a resilient grasp according to the present invention, while the conductor attachment section 26 is crimped to the stranded wire leads 30 and insulation of the conductor 20. Crimping is accomplished by known crimping techniques.

Before being seated on a terminal post 16 according to the invention, the conductor attachment section 26 of a connector 21 is crimped to the end of a conductor 20. In this light, the conductor attachment section 26 includes an outer insulation crimp barrel portion and an inner wire lead crimp barrel portion 36, seen in section in FIGS. 4 and 5, respectively. Each barrel portion 35 and 36 has a common V-shaped base 37 terminating in an apex 38. The insulation crimp barrel portion 35 has spaced parallel side arms 40 which are shorter and spaced wider apart then the corresponding side arms 41 of the lead crimp barrel portion 36, however.

With a conductor 20 end lying in the conductor attachment section 26, the section is crimped by conventional techniques to close the arms 40 and 41 over the insulation 31 and stranded leads 30, respectively, as best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The conductor 20 is thus retained tightly by the connector 21. Because of the generally V-shaped common base 37 of the conductor attachment section 26 in its crimped configuration, the attachment section defines a generally heartshaped configuration in cross-section. For reasons which hereafter will be discussed, this V-shaped base 37 and heartshaped configuration of the attachment section is a feature of the invention.

The post receptacle section 25 comprises identical opposed side walls 50, as best seen in FIG. 3, joined along a common edge which is a continuation of the apex 38 of the V-shaped base 37 in the conductor attachment section 26. The conductor attachment section 26 is actually joined to the post receptacle section 35 by a short intermediate section 51 (see FIG. 2), immediately adjacent to which the walls extend laterally of the edge 38. The laterally extending side walls 50 terminate in free edges 55 immediately adjacent each other. These free edges 55 extend the length of the post receptacle section 25, the length being greater than the width of the walls 50. Each wall 50 is relatively wide when viewed in side elevation as seen in FIG. 2, for example.

Immediately adjacent the free edge 55 of each side wall 50, a longitudinally elongated post retainer trough is formed outwardly of the wall. The troughs 60 in opposed walls 50 are mirror images of each other. Each trough 60 is generally U- shaped in cross-sectional configuration as seen in FIGS. 1 and 3.

Each longitudinally extending trough 60 includes an inner leg 61 and an outer leg 62. Opposite the bottom 65 of each trough 60, the legs 61 and 62 curve, as at 68, generally into the plane of the walls 50. The curves 68 associated with the legs 62 terminate at the free edges 55 of the walls 50, while the curves 68 associated with the legs 61 terminate in the relatively flat portions 70 of the side walls extending toward the common edge 38 of the walls.

As has been pointed out, the terminals 21 are fabricated of brass or the like. The brass used is relatively flexible and resilient. Because of the way in which the terminal 21 is formed, by bending the walls 50 around the edge 38, the walls 50 normally tend to be resiliently biased toward each other. When the terminal 21 is seated on a post 16 in a manner immediately hereinafter discussed, the walls 50 resiliently spread, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, and releasably clamp the post 16 between them.

To seat a terminal 21 on a selected post 16, the post receptacle section 25 of the terminal is forced downwardly over the pyramid-shaped end 75 of the post, with the post in longitudinal alignment with the post receptacle section s generally U- shaped troughs 60. A chamfer 76 formed on the lower laterally extending edge 77 of each trough 60 facilitates the entry of the corresponding post 16 between the walls 50 without scoring the post.

The configuration of each trough 60 forces the connector 21 to orientate into one of four radially disposed positions relative to the axis ofthe post 16. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the radial orientation of each connector 21 relative to the post 16 is necessarily at a 45 angle to the planar side surfaces 17 of the terminal post. In this position, the longitudinally extending contact surface area 80 on the inside of each curve 68 of a corresponding leg 61, 62 in the U-shaped trough 65 engages a corresponding side surface 17 of the post 16 in line contact along substantially the entire length of the terminal walls 50. Nevertheless, the corners 81 of the post 16 are not engaged by the bottoms 65 of corresponding troughs 60. Accordingly, the comers 81 remain undamaged and sharp should the post 16 subsequently be used as a wire-wrap connection.

The contact surface areas 80 in the connector walls 50 uniformly contact corresponding post surfaces 17 regardless of variations in the cross-sectional dimensions of the post 16. This uniform contact is assured because the walls 50 are resiliently biased together about their edge 38 and the trough legs 61, 62 are resiliently formed about the trough bottoms 65. When a post 16 a generally introduced between the troughs 60 in the walls 50, both the walls and the trough legs 61. 62, spread, while the trough contact surfaces 80 remain tightly against corresponding post side surfaces 17.

Four of the connectors 21 may be mounted on each post 16, as will now be recognized, without interfering with each other. Furthermore, four connectors 21 may be mounted on each adjacent post 16 and none will interfere with each other because each connector extends radially of its post into that area of the terminal board 12 which provides the greatest amount of open space, as seen in FIG. 1. The V-shaped bases 37 and overall heart-shaped configuration of each crimp barrel portion 35, 36 of the conductor attachment section 26 are especially designed to maintain maximum spacing between connectors 21.

With a plurality of connectors 21 mounted on a post 16, it will be seen that the conductor attachment section 26 is laterally ofiset a considerable distance from the post, which now defines the common longitudinal axis of the troughs 60. This lateral offset is sufficient to prevent any contact with the post receptacle section 25 of an adjacent connector 2 1.

When it is desirable to remove any connector 21 from its post 16, it is only necessary to lever the connector away from the post, in the manner seen in FIG. 2. In the illustration, generally flat pin 85 is rotated in the direction of the arrows between a post 16 and the conductor attachment section 26 of the selected connector 21. The connector 21 is tilted laterally of the post 16, the walls 50 spread, and the connector pops off the post. A chamfer 88 on the upper edge 89 of each trough 60 facilitates the walls 50 spreading without scoring the post 16.

If a replacement connector 21 is desired, the other connectors and attached conductors 20 are merely slid down on the post 16 and the new connector mounted on top of the stack. Simple and expeditious removal and replacement of any connector 21 in a stack is thus facilitated.

Turning now to FIGS. 6-8, a modified form of the clip-type connector embodying features of the present invention is illustrated generally at 121. The connector 121, of which there are two shown in FIG. 6, is adapted to quickly and easily join a rectangular cross-section wire-wrap post 116 to a conductor 20. In the present illustration, the post 116 is a 0.025 X 0.062 inch polished steel blade. Once again, the connector 121 is suited for multiple stacking on a wire-wrap post 116.

Each connector 121 includes a post receptacle section 125 and a conductor attachment section 126 formed from a single strip of brass. The post receptacle section 125 grips the rectangular cross-section terminal post 116 in a resilient grasp, while the conductor attachment section 126 is gripped to the stranded wire leads and insulation of the conductor 20.

Before being seated on a terminal post 116, the conductor attachment section 126 is crimped to the end of a conductor 20. Since the construction of the conductor attachment section 126 is identical to that conductor attachment section 26 hereinbefore described in relation to the terminal 21, and the crimping operation by which it can be attached to the conductor 20 is identical also, this construction and operation is not herein described.

The post receptacle section 125 comprises identical opposed side walls 150 joined along a common edge 138 which is a continuation of the edge of the conductor attachment section 126. The conductor attachment section 126 is actually joined to the post receptacle section by a short intermediate section 151, immediately adjacent to which the walls extend laterally of the edge 38.

The laterally extending side walls 150 terminate in free edges 155 immediately adjacent each other. These free edges 155 extend the length of the post receptacle section 126, the length being greater than the width of the walls 150. Each wall 150 is relatively wide when viewed in side elevation, as seen in FIG. 6, for example.

Immediately adjacent the free edge 155 of each side wall 150, a longitudinally elongated post retainer trough 160 is formed outwardly of the wall. Each trough 160 is generally U- shaped in cross-sectional configuration, as seen in FIG. 8. With a 0.025 X 0.062 inch post 116, the troughs side walls 161 are preferably spaced 0.033 inch apart, while the trough bases 162 are spaced 0.048 inch apart, the latter in unsprung configuration.

The terminals 121 are also fabricated of brass, for example, and the brass which is used is relatively flexible and resilient. Because of the way in which the terminal 121 is formed, by bending the walls 150 around the edge 138, the walls 150 normally tend to be resiliently biased toward each other. When the terminal 121 is seated on a rectangular cross-sectional post 116, the walls 150 resiliently spread and releasably clamp the post 116 between the trough bases 162.

With a plurality of connectors 121 mounted on the post 116, it will be seen that the conductor attachment section 126 is laterally off-set a considerable distance from the post, which now defines a common longitudinal axis of the troughs 160. This lateral off-set is sufficient to prevent any contact with the post receptacle section 125 of an adjacent connector 121. The sections 125 and 126 are axially off-set for reasons hereinbefore pointed out.

In this modified form of the connector 121, the connectors orientate perpendicular to opposite faces of the rectangular cross-section wire-wrap posts, in the manner illustrated in FIG. 6. Thus, a lesser number ofconnectors can be seated on a post 116 than in those instances where a generally square post and the connectors 21 hereinbefore described are employed. Nevertheless, the advantages of having the post attachment section off-set axially and laterally of the conductor attachment section in a clip-on connector of this type makes this connector highly desirable for certain applications.

While the embodiments described herein are at present considered to be preferred, it is understood that various modifications and improvements within the scope of the invention may be made therein.

What is desired to be claimed and secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A connector for joining a conductor to a terminal post, wherein the post has a generally square or rectangular crosssection and, correspondingly, four generally planar side surfaces, comprising:

a. a post receptacle section and a conductor attachment section,

b. said post receptacle section comprising opposed side walls joined at a longitudinally extending common edge and fabricated of resilient material, said walls having longitudinally extending free edges displaced laterally of said common edge and being adapted to resiliently spread at said free edges generally about said common edge,

. the width of said walls measured laterally of said common edge being less than the length of said post receptacle section measured longitudinally, and

. longitudinally extending trough means in at least one of said walls generally adjacent a free edge for retaining a terminal post between said walls in resiliently gripped relationship, said trough means being longitudinally offset and laterally spaced from said conductor attachment section by a distance sufficient to prevent contact between said conductor attachment section and said terminal post.

2. The connector of claim 1 further characterized by and including:

a. longitudinally extending trough means formed in opposing relationship in each of said side walls generally adjacent said free edges.

3. The connector of claim 2 further characterized in that:

a. each of said trough means comprises a longitudinally extending, generally U-shaped trough having a base and side walls,

b. said bases normally being spaced a predetermined distance apart less than the width of a post,

c. said bases adapted to resiliently engage a corresponding side surface of a terminal post.

4. A connector for joining a conductor to a terminal post, wherein the post has a generally square or rectangular crosssection and, correspondingly, four generally planar side surfaces, comprising:

a. a post receptacle section and a conductor attachment section,

b. said post receptacle section comprising opposed side walls of predetermined width joined at a longitudinally extending common edge and fabricated of resilient material,

0. said side walls having longitudinally extending free edges displaced laterally of said common edge,

d. longitudinally elongated terminal post retaining trough means formed in each of said side walls generally adjacent a corresponding free edge and in opposed relationship, with the length of each of said trough means being at least substantially as long as the width of its corresponding side wall,

e. each of said trough means having an inner leg and an outer leg terminating opposite the bottom of corresponding trough means in a longitudinally extending contact section having a contact surface area adapted to engage a corresponding side surface of a terminal post, said longitudinally extending inner and outer legs of each trough means being disposed at substantially 45 angles to corresponding side walls whereby with said connector mounted on a terminal post, said side walls extend at substantially 45 angles to the side surfaces of the terminal post,

g. said side walls adapted to resiliently spread away from each other to facilitate removal of said connector from the side of said post.

5. The connector of claim 4 further characterized in that:

a. the contact surface area of each of said legs defines a gradual curve in a corresponding leg generally into the plane of a corresponding side wall.

6. The connector of claim further characterized in that:

a. said contact surface area curve extends in each of said legs toward a corresponding trough means bottom,

b. each trough means bottom being generally U-shaped in cross-section whereby said bottoms are spaced from a corresponding corner of the post with the connector mounted on the post so that the corner is not scraped when the connector is mounted.

7 The connector of claim 4 further characterized in that:

a. said conductor attachment section is laterally off-set from said trough means whereby said trough means resiliently clamps the connector to the post with the post extending parallel to and laterally spaced to said conductor attachment section.

8. The connector of claim 7 further characterized in that:

a. said conductor attachment section is longitudinally displaced from said trough means,

b. said side walls and their common edge forming a torsionmember connecting said post receptacle section and said conductor attachment section for facilitating the sidewise twisting of said connector off the post:

9. A connector assembly, comprising:

a. a terminal post having a generally square or rectangular cross-section and, correspondingly, four generally planar side surfaces,

b. a connector having a post receptacle section and a conductor attachment section,

c. said post receptacle section comprising opposed side walls joined at a longitudinally extending common edge and fabricated of resilient material,

d. said side walls having longitudinally extending free edges displaced laterally of said common edge,

e. longitudinally elongated terminal post retaining trough means formed in each of said side walls generally adjacent corresponding free edges and in opposed relationship,

f. each of said trough means having an inner leg and an outer leg terminating opposite the bottom of corresponding trough means in a longitudinally extending contact section having a contact surface of said terminal post,

g. said longitudinally extending inner and outer legs of each trough means being disposed at substantially 45 angles to corresponding side walls whereby said side walls extend at substantially 45 angles to side surfaces of said terminal post,

h. said side walls adapted to resiliently spread away from each other to facilitate removal of said connector from the side of said post.

10. A connector assembly, comprising:

a. a terminal post having a generally square or rectangular cross section and, correspondingly, four generally planar side surfaces,

b. a connector having a post receptacle section and a conductor attachment section,

c. said post receptacle section comprising opposed side walls joined at a longitudinally extending common edge and fabricated of resilient material,

(1. said side walls having longitudinally extending free edges displaced laterally of said common edge,

e. the width of said walls measured laterally of said common edge being less than the length of said post receptacle sec tion measured longitudinally, and

. longitudinally elongated terminal post retaining trough means formed in each of said side walls generally adjacent corresponding free edges and in opposed relationship,

. said trough means being longitudinally offset and laterally spaced from said conductor attachment section by a distance sufficient to prevent contact between said conductor attachment sect ion anc i said terminal post.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFmcE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent N 3 668,6l6 Dated June 6 1972 'Inventor(s) Frank A. Kukla, Harold B. Kalmar, John A. Pe'tkunas It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4, line 39, change "a generally" to -is Column 8, line 6, after "surface" insert -area engaging a corresponding side surface Signed and sealed this 31st day of October 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCI-IER.JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer 7 Commissioner of Patents 

1. A connector for joining a conductor to a terminal post, wherein the post has a generally square or rectangular crosssection and, correspondingly, four generally planar side surfaces, comprising: a. a post receptacle section and a conductor attachment section, b. said post receptacle section comprising opposed side walls joined at a longitudinally extending common edge and fabricated of resilient material, c. said walls having longitudinally extending free edges displaced laterally of said common edge and being adapted to resiliently spread at said free edges generally about said common edge, d. the width of said walls measured laterally of said common edge being less than the length of said post receptacle section measured longitudinally, and e. longitudinally extending trough means in at least one of said walls generally adjacent a free edge for retaining a terminal post between said walls in resiliently gripped relationship, f. said trough means being longitudinally offset and laterally spaced from said conductor attachment section by a distance sufficient to prevent contact between said conductor attachment section and said terminal post.
 2. The connector of claim 1 further characterized by and including: a. longitudinally extending trough means formed in opposing relationship in each of said side walls generally adjacent said free edges.
 3. The connector of claim 2 further characterized in that: a. each of said trough means comprises a longitudinally extending, generally U-shaped trough having a base and side walls, b. said bases normally being spaced a predetermined distance apart less than the width of a post, c. said bases adapted to resiliently engage a corresponding side surface of a terminal post.
 4. A connector for joining a conductor to a terminal post, wherein the post has a generally squarE or rectangular cross-section and, correspondingly, four generally planar side surfaces, comprising: a. a post receptacle section and a conductor attachment section, b. said post receptacle section comprising opposed side walls of predetermined width joined at a longitudinally extending common edge and fabricated of resilient material, c. said side walls having longitudinally extending free edges displaced laterally of said common edge, d. longitudinally elongated terminal post retaining trough means formed in each of said side walls generally adjacent a corresponding free edge and in opposed relationship, with the length of each of said trough means being at least substantially as long as the width of its corresponding side wall, e. each of said trough means having an inner leg and an outer leg terminating opposite the bottom of corresponding trough means in a longitudinally extending contact section having a contact surface area adapted to engage a corresponding side surface of a terminal post, f. said longitudinally extending inner and outer legs of each trough means being disposed at substantially 45* angles to corresponding side walls whereby with said connector mounted on a terminal post, said side walls extend at substantially 45* angles to the side surfaces of the terminal post, g. said side walls adapted to resiliently spread away from each other to facilitate removal of said connector from the side of said post.
 5. The connector of claim 4 further characterized in that: a. the contact surface area of each of said legs defines a gradual curve in a corresponding leg generally into the plane of a corresponding side wall.
 6. The connector of claim 5 further characterized in that: a. said contact surface area curve extends in each of said legs toward a corresponding trough means bottom, b. each trough means bottom being generally U-shaped in cross-section whereby said bottoms are spaced from a corresponding corner of the post with the connector mounted on the post so that the corner is not scraped when the connector is mounted.
 7. The connector of claim 4 further characterized in that: a. said conductor attachment section is laterally off-set from said trough means whereby said trough means resiliently clamps the connector to the post with the post extending parallel to and laterally spaced to said conductor attachment section.
 8. The connector of claim 7 further characterized in that: a. said conductor attachment section is longitudinally displaced from said trough means, b. said side walls and their common edge forming a torsion-member connecting said post receptacle section and said conductor attachment section for facilitating the sidewise twisting of said connector off the post.
 9. A connector assembly, comprising: a. a terminal post having a generally square or rectangular cross-section and, correspondingly, four generally planar side surfaces, b. a connector having a post receptacle section and a conductor attachment section, c. said post receptacle section comprising opposed side walls joined at a longitudinally extending common edge and fabricated of resilient material, d. said side walls having longitudinally extending free edges displaced laterally of said common edge, e. longitudinally elongated terminal post retaining trough means formed in each of said side walls generally adjacent corresponding free edges and in opposed relationship, f. each of said trough means having an inner leg and an outer leg terminating opposite the bottom of corresponding trough means in a longitudinally extending contact section having a contact surface of said terminal post, g. said longitudinally extending inner and outer legs of each trough means being disposed at substantially 45* angles to corresponding side walls whereby said side walls extend at substantially 45* angles to side surfaces of said terminal post, h. said side walls adapted to resiliently spread away from each other to facilitate removal of said connector from the side of said post.
 10. A connector assembly, comprising: a. a terminal post having a generally square or rectangular cross section and, correspondingly, four generally planar side surfaces, b. a connector having a post receptacle section and a conductor attachment section, c. said post receptacle section comprising opposed side walls joined at a longitudinally extending common edge and fabricated of resilient material, d. said side walls having longitudinally extending free edges displaced laterally of said common edge, e. the width of said walls measured laterally of said common edge being less than the length of said post receptacle section measured longitudinally, and f. longitudinally elongated terminal post retaining trough means formed in each of said side walls generally adjacent corresponding free edges and in opposed relationship, g. said trough means being longitudinally offset and laterally spaced from said conductor attachment section by a distance sufficient to prevent contact between said conductor attachment section and said terminal post. 